Korean companies high dependent on Chinese consumers are on alert.
This, as concerns are growing that Beijing's retaliatory measures stemming from its opposition against the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system THAAD to the Korean peninsula, are spreading to more areas and industries.
Most recently, China has refused to approve shipments of massive amounts of Korean cosmetics into the country.
Industry sources in Beijing said Tuesday 19 out of 28 beauty products that failed to receive import approval from China were from Korea, and more than eleven-thousand kilograms of Korean cosmetics were ordered to be returned.
This follows Beijing's banning of popular Korean entertainers from performing in China and rejecting Korean airlines' plan to operate chartered flights ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday season that starts at the end of this month.

"The best method for China is to intensify its retaliatory measures gradually towards the date of the THAAD deployment. Its strategy is to create THAAD oppositions within Korea by affecting the Korean wave and tourism sectors."

People working in the food industry, not directly affected yet, are expressing their concerns, too, as the Chinese government has been enforcing customs procedures.

(Korean_ )
"Regulations in the fashion and beauty industries appear to have become stronger. That's why we are closely monitoring the situation."

Experts say, China is especially trying to take advantage of the current political unrest in Korea, but that it would not risk imposing retaliatory measures that could critically damage bilateral relations.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.